DIY: fold up A-frame tent

May 29, 2015Chelsea

At the end of last summer we relandscaped our backyard to allow for more grass space. We wanted a little bigger of an area for a new baby to crawl (and eventually run) around and play. The grass has grown in from reseeding and while the occasional fern or daffodil pops up in the middle of the area, for the most part we reached our vision of a little grassy backyard area for Evan to play. The only downside to our landscaping last year was that we also had to remove our terribly invasive bamboo which provided shade to the yard. So our little grassy area is now the perfect place to tan- or burn if you're a baby!

To remedy this, Kiel helped me create a little fold up A frame tent (after seeing them all over Pinterest!) that I keep in my studio and pull out when we are in the yard. It's the perfect little place for Evan to hang out while we do yard work or eat on the patio. Read on for the instructions on how to make your own!

Supplies:

two 10' piece of 3/4" copper pipe

6 3/4" copper pipe caps

pipe cutter

4 pieces of 1 1/2" x 3/4" wood cut to 4'

king size sheet

sand paper or block

drill

3/4" forstner drill bit

sewing machine and thread

pins

tape measure

Instructions:

1. Measure out and mark your copper pipe. You will need 3 pieces that are each 44" long.

2. Cut the pipe down to size with a pipe cutter.

3. Measure and mark your wood. We used 4 pieces of 1 1/2" x 3/4" thick wood measuring 4" long. If you don't have a saw, your local hardware store may be able to cut a 2"x4" down to size for you. The thickness of the wood pieces doesn't really matter here in terms of design, just the length (we just used what we had). Although you may prefer thinner wood pieces for aesthetics.

4. Mark about 1/2" down and center for each end of the wood. This is where you will drill your holes.

5. Using a 3/4" forstner drill bit, drill out the holes where you marked.

Sand the edges of the holes as well as the sides of the wood as needed to get rid of splinters and smooth things out.

6. Fold your kings size sheet in half lengthwise (hot dog style!). Fold over approximately 1 to 1.5" at the bottom to create a seam around the copper pipe. Pin in place and sew the seam. Repeat for the other end of the fabric. This is a super basic straight seam and as long as you can use a sewing machine you can do this!

7. On a large open surface, lay the sheet out flat. Put 1 copper pipe in each seam at the end of the sheet and one in the center. Then place your wood along the sides of the sheet.

8. Insert the copper pipe into the wood holes. Put the caps on the ends of the pipe. Like a hinge, fold one of the sides over onto the other to fold the tent in half. Then stand it up and prop it open against the ground!

We use ours outback on top of a little blanket or sheet. It keeps the blanket/ sheet in place and provides shade for Evan. Later at night when the sun is setting we move it directly against the fence or throw another sheet over the open back end of the tent to help provide more shade as the sun lowers.

This is the perfect little place for him to hang out in the backyard. Best of all, it folds up flat for easy storage in the studio or garage when we aren't using it!